Battery driven clock with a self-regulating escapement system and a plastics material housing

ABSTRACT

A battery-powered clock with a self-regulating escapement system and a plastic housing comprises a plastic capsule, directly connected with the clock housing, and accommodating the clockwork parts directly.

United States Patent [1 1 [111 3,837,160 Hettich Sept. 24, 1974 [541 BATTERY DRIVEN CLOCK WITH A SELF-REGULATING ESCAPEMENT SYSTEM AND A PLASTICS MATERIAL HOUSING Inventor: IIugo Hettich, 7762 Ludwigshafen,

Bodensee, Germany Filed: July 2, 1973 Appl. N0.: 375,717

Related US. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 172,397, Aug. l7, 1971, abandoned.

US. Cl. 58/19 R, 58/55, 58/140 R Int. Cl. G04c 21/16, G04b 13/02 Field of Search 58/19 R, 23 BA, 23 R, 38,

III

Primary Examiner-Edith Simmons Jackmon Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Ostrolenk, Faber, Gerb & Soffen [5 7] ABSTRACT A battery-powered clock with a self-regulating escapement system and a plastic housing comprises a plastic capsule, directly connected with the clock housing, and accommodating the clockwork parts directly.

12 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures BATTERY DRIVEN CLOCK WITH A SELF-REGULATING ESCAPEMENT SYSTEM AND A PLASTICS MATERIAL HOUSING This is a-continuation of application Ser. No.

172,397, filed on Aug. 17, l97l which is now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION material and accommodating the clockwork mechanism is for each part arranged in the clock housing using a central screw connection, whose female thread can be made in the course of injection molding of the rear housing of the capsule made of insulating material.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Departing from this previously proposed construction the invention provides an arrangement in which the plastics material capsule simultaneously serves as a carrying means for the clockwork parts, so that the manufacture of the clock as a whole is substantially simplified and cheapened.

In accordance with an advantageous form of the invention a screw plate is arranged on the rear side of the plastics material housing and is connected with the capsule, for example by means of fixing screws and for its part can have the female thread for the central screw connection with the clock housing. Furthermore, when it is a question of a wall clock this screw threaded plate can have an extension forming a loop for hanging up the clock, so as to offer the advantage of the plastics material capsule containing the clockwork mechanism not having to bear the weight of the clock hung on the wall to any extent.

LIST OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF DRAWINGS Further details and advantages of the invention will be gathered from the following description of embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a vertical central section through a clock hung on the wall in accordance with the invention, the clockwork parts only being indicated diagrammatically.

f FIG. 2 is a view from the rear of the plastics material capsule containing the clockwork parts with a suspension means and a compartment for the battery.

FIG. 3 shows part of a section on the line III-III in accordance with FIG. 1 though on a considerably enlarged scale.

FIG. 4 shows a rear view of a clock, in accordance with the invention, supplemented with an alarm mechanism.

FIG. 5 shows a central cross-section of the clock in accordance with FIG. 3. I

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In accordance with FIG. 1 reference numeral 1 denotes the clock housing which in a conventional manner carries a clock face over which the hands 2 move. In the housing 1 a plastics material frame or capsule 3 receiving the clockwork parts is attached. The capsule has a compartment 3 for receiving a battery. The attachment of the capsule 3 for the clockwork mechanism on the clock housing 1 is with the help of a hollow screw 6, which is described below, screwed into a corresponding threaded hole in a plate 5 which can be made of brass and is continued in an upward direction as an attachment lug 5' (see especially FIG. 2). Reference numeral 4 (FIG. 1) denotes a cap mounted on the capsule 3 and closing it off to the rear.

As appears from FIGS. 1 and 2 the plate 5 is attached on the front side of the capsule 3 with one or more screws 8, which have their screw-threaded parts ex- .tending through the front wall of thecapsule 3 to be screwed in corresponding screw-threaded holes of the the so-called conductor plate 12, which carries the electronic components, serving for self-regulated driving of the escapement 9, and the coil 11. Reference numeral 10 denotes the spiral spring of the balance escapement 9. v I I FIG. 3 shows some of the clockwork parts, which are incorporated in the capsule 3 of plastics material, on a considerably enlarged scale. As can be seen between the front wall of the plastics material housing 3 and the clockwork housing 1, there is the plate 5, with screwthreaded holes, which is extended upwards as the lug 5' and is fixed on the clock housing 1 with the help of the central hollow screw 6. Reference numeral 14 indicates a very weak disc spring, and 15 denotes a brass tube, which is mounted with a press fit in a sleeve of the plastics material housing 3 and is of smaller diameter at its ends for journalling the seconds shaft 16 but for the rest of the length of the tube has a clearance. On the stationary brass tube 15 there runs the minutes tube 17 on which the pinion 18 is pressed with a firm fit or is made integrally with it. The minutes wheel 19 makes frictional engagement with the spring 20 and is pressed against pinion l8 frictionally for driving it. The frictional engagement allows setting the minutes hand without turning wheel 19.

On the minutes tube 17 there runs the hours tube 21 which is fixed to the hours hand wheel 22. The escape wheel 23 which is escaped by the pallets mounted on the spindle of the escapement, has its pinion 24 engaging the seconds wheel 25. The seconds pinion 26 drives the intermediate wheel 27 which is connected in a fixed manner with the shaft 28 and the pinion 29 driving wheel 19. Reference numeral 30 denotes hours pinion (of the change speed drive) which is connected in a fixed manner with the change wheel 31 which is driven by the minutes hand-pinion 18. The hours pinion 30 meshes with hours wheel 22. The change speed pinion 30 and the change wheel 31 are journalled on the shaft 32 on which the parts 27, 28 and 29 are carried. As is shown the plate 5 closes the cavity of the capsule 3 and the parts 14, 19,20, 22, 30, 31 and 32 are arranged in a cavity. Reference numeral 7 denotes the thin strip spring whose outline is to be seen in FIG. 1. As can be seen, this strip spring, which is held be screw 13, with its various arms retains the shafts l6 and 32 and supports the bearing means of the escape wheel 23.

FIG. 4 shows the rear view of a clockwork mechanism capsule, constructed in accordance with the invention, of plastics material, in which on one side one compartment is provided for a battery B and on the other side there is a compartment for the accommodation of a buzzer or an alarm W.

The cross-section in accordance with FIG. 5 of such a clock shows that the face can also serve as a plate with threaded holes in which the screws passing through the rear wall of the clockwork capsule 3 can be screwed in and their parts can be connected with the clock in any suitable manner.

I claim:

1. A battery driven clock, comprising:

a clock housing having an outer side facing forwardly of said clock;

within said housing is a capsule for containing and for supporting clockwork parts; said capsule having a rear wall away from said housing outer side and a front wall toward said housing outer side; said capsule front wall having at least one shaft supporting opening passing therethrough, said shaft supporting opening being of sufficient length to support a shaft;

a clock hand supporting and operating shaft passing through said shaft supporting opening and freely passing with clearance through said housing outer side; means carried in said shaft supporting opening for supporting said clock hand supporting shaft and serving as the sole support for that said shaft;

a clock hand carried on said shaft and positioned forwardly of said housing outer side and adapted to be moved past said housing outer side; a clockwork mechanism in said housing connected with said shaft to rotate it.

2. The battery driven clock of claim 1, wherein said capsule front wall has a first portion through which said shaft supporting opening passes;

said front wall first portion being spaced a first distance from said housing outer side, defining a cavity between said front wall and said housing outer side.

3. The battery driven clock of claim 2, wherein adjacent to and supported by said capsule are:

a compartment for a battery for operating said clockwork parts, and connection means between said battery and said clockwork parts for energizing the latter; and

a compartment for an alarm means which is connected with and operable by said clockwork parts.

4. The battery driven clock of claim 2, wherein said means carried in said shaft supporting opening of said capsule front wall for supporting said shaft comprises a sleeve with an exterior width of the width of said shaft supporting opening; said sleeve being located and supported in said shaft supporting opening; said sleeve having an opening therethrough that is dimensioned wider than said shaft, and which has at least one section narrowed to the width of said shaft and said shaft passes through and is journalled in and supported by the said narrowed sleeve section.

5 clockwork parts in said housing include wheels for drivopening therein communicating into said cavity; I

second fastening means passing through said second fastening means receiving opening and fastening said housing outer side and said housing to said plate. 6. The battery driven clock of claim 5, wherein said second fastening means has a flange thereon-which engages and presses against the forwardly facing said outer side of said housing when saidsecond fastening means is in place and presses said housing against said plate;

said second fastening means receiving opening in said plate being female screw threaded and said second fastening means having its periphery correspondingly screw threaded, whereby said second fastening means is screwed tightly into said second fastening means receiving opening of said plate.

7. The battery driven clock of claim 6 wherein said second fastening means is hollow and includes a clock hand shaft opening therethrough;

said clock hand supporting shaft projecting through said second fastening means clock hand shaft opening and said clock hand supporting shaft being dimensioned so as to be smaller than that said clock hand shaft opening, thereby to pass through that said opening with clearance.

8. The battery driven clock of claim 7, wherein said means carried in said shaft supporting opening of said capsule front wall for supporting said shaft comprises a sleeve with an exterior width of the width of said shaft supporting opening; said sleeve being located and supported in said shaft supporting opening; said sleeve having an opening therethrough that is dimensioned wider than'said shaft, and has at least one section narrowed to the width of said shaft and said shaft passes through and is journalled in and supported by that said,

narrowed sleeve section;

said sleeve being of a length such that is passes through said second fastening means receiving opening of said plate; passing around the periphery of said sleeve and through said second fastening means receiving opening of said plate and being supported by said sleeve is a respective tube each for supporting and operating a respective clock hand connected thereto which moves over said housing outer side; said clockwork mechanism also being connected with said tubes for operating the respective said hands;

said sleeve and said tubes being dimensioned narrower than said second fastening means receiving opening to pass therethrough with clearance.

9. The battery driven clock of claim 5, wherein said plate includes an upwardly directed lug that has an opening therethrough, such that said lug can serve as a supporting means for said clock.

10. The battery driven clock of claim 5, wherein said ing said clock hands; a plurality of clockwork parts supporting shafts in said housing and passing through respective said support openings in said capsule front wall first position which said support openings each carry means which support the respective said shaft;

said shafts being for supporting said wheels, said wheels being positioned on and journalled upon said supporting shafts in said housing; one said supporting shaft comprises said clock hand supporting shaft.

11. The battery driven clock of claim 5, wherein said clockwork parts include wheels positioned on and journalled on said clock hand supporting shaft; said wheels being located in said capsule between said front and said rear walls and also being located in said cavity.

12. The battery driven clock of claim 8, wherein there is an exteriormost said tube around said sleeve;

secured to said exteriormost tube and located between and spaced from both said plate and said capsule front wall first portion is a spring supporting abutment element wheel means;

a disc spring having an opening therethrough through which passes said exteriormost tube and shaped such that one of the periphery of said spring and the central portion thereof at said exteriormost tube is spring biased to press against said abutment element wheel means and the other of said periphery and said central portion presses against said plate, thereby to secure said tubes in said housing. 

1. A battery driven clock, comprising: a clock housing having an outer side facing forwardly of said clock; within said housing is a capsule for containing and for supporTing clockwork parts; said capsule having a rear wall away from said housing outer side and a front wall toward said housing outer side; said capsule front wall having at least one shaft supporting opening passing therethrough, said shaft supporting opening being of sufficient length to support a shaft; a clock hand supporting and operating shaft passing through said shaft supporting opening and freely passing with clearance through said housing outer side; means carried in said shaft supporting opening for supporting said clock hand supporting shaft and serving as the sole support for that said shaft; a clock hand carried on said shaft and positioned forwardly of said housing outer side and adapted to be moved past said housing outer side; a clockwork mechanism in said housing connected with said shaft to rotate it.
 2. The battery driven clock of claim 1, wherein said capsule front wall has a first portion through which said shaft supporting opening passes; said front wall first portion being spaced a first distance from said housing outer side, defining a cavity between said front wall and said housing outer side.
 3. The battery driven clock of claim 2, wherein adjacent to and supported by said capsule are: a compartment for a battery for operating said clockwork parts, and connection means between said battery and said clockwork parts for energizing the latter; and a compartment for an alarm means which is connected with and operable by said clockwork parts.
 4. The battery driven clock of claim 2, wherein said means carried in said shaft supporting opening of said capsule front wall for supporting said shaft comprises a sleeve with an exterior width of the width of said shaft supporting opening; said sleeve being located and supported in said shaft supporting opening; said sleeve having an opening therethrough that is dimensioned wider than said shaft, and which has at least one section narrowed to the width of said shaft and said shaft passes through and is journalled in and supported by the said narrowed sleeve section.
 5. The battery driven clock of claim 2, further comprising an exterior plate positioned between said capsule front wall and said housing outer side and being positioned and shaped to close said cavity; first fastening means fastening said capsule to said plate; said plate having a second fastening means receiving opening therein communicating into said cavity; second fastening means passing through said second fastening means receiving opening and fastening said housing outer side and said housing to said plate.
 6. The battery driven clock of claim 5, wherein said second fastening means has a flange thereon which engages and presses against the forwardly facing said outer side of said housing when said second fastening means is in place and presses said housing against said plate; said second fastening means receiving opening in said plate being female screw threaded and said second fastening means having its periphery correspondingly screw threaded, whereby said second fastening means is screwed tightly into said second fastening means receiving opening of said plate.
 7. The battery driven clock of claim 6 wherein said second fastening means is hollow and includes a clock hand shaft opening therethrough; said clock hand supporting shaft projecting through said second fastening means clock hand shaft opening and said clock hand supporting shaft being dimensioned so as to be smaller than that said clock hand shaft opening, thereby to pass through that said opening with clearance.
 8. The battery driven clock of claim 7, wherein said means carried in said shaft supporting opening of said capsule front wall for supporting said shaft comprises a sleeve with an exterior width of the width of said shaft supporting opening; said sleeve being located and supported in said shaft supporting opening; said sleeve having an opening therethrough that is dimensioned wider than said shaft, and has at least one section narrowed to the width of said shaft and said shaft passes through and is journalled in and supported by that said narrowed sleeve section; said sleeve being of a length such that is passes through said second fastening means receiving opening of said plate; passing around the periphery of said sleeve and through said second fastening means receiving opening of said plate and being supported by said sleeve is a respective tube each for supporting and operating a respective clock hand connected thereto which moves over said housing outer side; said clockwork mechanism also being connected with said tubes for operating the respective said hands; said sleeve and said tubes being dimensioned narrower than said second fastening means receiving opening to pass therethrough with clearance.
 9. The battery driven clock of claim 5, wherein said plate includes an upwardly directed lug that has an opening therethrough, such that said lug can serve as a supporting means for said clock.
 10. The battery driven clock of claim 5, wherein said clockwork parts in said housing include wheels for driving said clock hands; a plurality of clockwork parts supporting shafts in said housing and passing through respective said support openings in said capsule front wall first position which said support openings each carry means which support the respective said shaft; said shafts being for supporting said wheels, said wheels being positioned on and journalled upon said supporting shafts in said housing; one said supporting shaft comprises said clock hand supporting shaft.
 11. The battery driven clock of claim 5, wherein said clockwork parts include wheels positioned on and journalled on said clock hand supporting shaft; said wheels being located in said capsule between said front and said rear walls and also being located in said cavity.
 12. The battery driven clock of claim 8, wherein there is an exteriormost said tube around said sleeve; secured to said exteriormost tube and located between and spaced from both said plate and said capsule front wall first portion is a spring supporting abutment element wheel means; a disc spring having an opening therethrough through which passes said exteriormost tube and shaped such that one of the periphery of said spring and the central portion thereof at said exteriormost tube is spring biased to press against said abutment element wheel means and the other of said periphery and said central portion presses against said plate, thereby to secure said tubes in said housing. 